Electrical connection for telephones and the like.



J.A.DOUG LAS. ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FOR TBLEPHONES AND THE LIKE.

, APP'LIOATION P ILED MAR. 31, 1913. 1,086,147.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

@NETE PATENT Fi@,

JOHN A. DOUGLAS, 0F WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO ANNA O. GOFF,

' OF W'ATERLOO, IOWA.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FOR TELEPHONES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application filed March a1, 1913. Serial No. 757,966.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN A. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterloo, in the county of Blackhawk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Connections for Telephones and the like; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

This invention relates to improvements in electrical connections for telephones and other devices.

One object of the invention is to provide an electrical connection for telephones or other electrical devices or apparatus whereby when the same is placed in position, connection will automatically be made with an electric circuit, the terminals of which form part of the invention.

Another object is to provide an electrical connection of the character described which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, reliable and strictly automatic in operation and which may be applied to any electrical apparatus whereby when the same is removed and again placed in position an electrical connection will be made with a line circuit without additional labor or manipulation of the parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a telephone box illustrating the application of my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the stationary member of the connection which forms the terminals of the line wires of the electric circuit and with which the connecting member of the telephone box is engaged when the telephone is hung up in posit-ion. for use; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the stationary member of the connection taken between the contact or terminal members thereofyFig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the movable member of the connection which is attached to the telephone box or other apparatus to which the invention is applied; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the movable terminal or contact member shown in Fig. 4:.

My improved electrical connection comprises a stationary member consisting of a base 1 in the form of a plate or block of insulating or non-conducting material. On the base 1 near the ends thereof are arranged binding posts 2 to which are connected the ends of the line wires of the electric circuit to which the connection is applied. Also secured to the base 1 midway between the binding posts 2 and spaced a suitable distance apart are right angular brackets 3 in the outer ends of which are secured pivot screws 4 on which are pivotally mounted contact terminals 5 in the form of fiat metal plates the outer ends of which are offset or increased in width on their inner edges and said oiiset inner edges are beveled as at 6 to form between the outer ends of the plates a V-shaped recess adapted to receive the movable member of the connection hereinafter described. Connected to the inner' ends of the plates forming the contact terminals 5 are coiled terminal operating springs 7 the outer ends of which are connected with the binding posts 2 and are thus in electrical connection with the ends of the main circuit wires hereinbefore described. The springs 7 when thus arranged not only serve to yieldingly hold the outer ofi set beveled ends of the terminal plates 5 in engagement with each other or with the movable member of the device, but also serve as conductors or electrical connections between the contact terminals 5 and the binding posts and ends of the line wires.

The movable member of the connection comprises a pair of metal contact-plates 8 which are spaced apart by and secured to the sides of a plug 9 of suitable insulating or non-conducting material the rear edge of which extends a suitable distance beyond the rear edges of the plates 8 and is beveled or tapered to form a wedge 10 which is adapted to enter between the beveled or angular edges of the ofi'set ends of the terminal plates 5 and to force said plates apart thereby permitting the'movable member of the connection to enter between the inner ofi'set edges of said terminal plates, said edges engaging and forming an electrical connection with the plates 8. On the lower ends of the plates 8 are formed right angular attaching flanges 11 in which are arranged binding screws 12. To the screws 12 are connected the ends of the current conducting wires in the telephone box or other apparatus to which the invention is applied, said plates 8 thus forming the terminals of these wires whereby when the plates 8 are forced bet-ween the offset ends of the terminal plates 5 they will connect the wires and apparatus in the telephone box with the line wires of the circuit.

The telephone box or other apparatus to which the device is applied is preferably provided with hanger plates 13 having keyhole shaped apertures 14: which are adapted to be engaged with nails or similar supporting devices arranged in the wall or other support to which the telephone box is to be applied. The nails or other supporting devices are arranged in such position with respect to the contact terminal plates 5 of the stationary member of the connection that when the hanger plates of the telephone box or other apparatus are engaged with said nails, said box or apparatus will be supported in such position that the movable member of the connection which is secured to the top or other suitable part of the apparatus will be disposed between and in engagement with the contact terminal plates 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. By forming the block 9 with a wedge shaped extension on its rear edge it will be seen that when the telephone box is brought to a position for engaging the hanger plates with the supporting devices for the box, said wedge shaped extension of the block 9 will enter bet-ween the beveled or angular inner edges of the plates 5 and will force the latter apart until the telephone box has reached the position for engaging the hanger plates thereon with the supporting nails at which time the contact plates 8 of the movable member of the connection will have en tered between the inner oii set edges of the plates thus making an electric connection between the wires of the box or other apparatus and the line wires of the circuit.

By means of my improved connection it will be seen that any one unfamiliar with the hanging of electrical apparatus or the making of electrical connections will have no diiliculty in properly connecting up any apparatus which has been temporarily removed or is being installed. The device is particularly applicable to rural telephones and when used in this connection will permit the telephone to be readily taken down, if the same should get out of order and may be thus carried or sent to the city for repairs and when returned may again be readily hung up in position and will automatically make connection with the line wires of the circuit, thus obviating the necessity and saving the expense of sending an electrician out into the rural districts to repair the telephone or other apparatus.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim is:

In an electrical connection, the combination with an electrical apparatus having a movable member forming the terminals of the apparatus, of a stationary contact member comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to a suitable support, binding posts secured to said plate and adapted to be connected to the line wires of an electric circuit, bearing brackets secured to said base plate, contact plates pivotally mounted on said brackets and having their outer ends ofiset and beveled on their inner edges to form a triangular shape space between their meeting ends adapted to receive said movable contact member and coiled springs connected to the inner ends of said pivoted plates and to said binding posts, said springs serving as electric conductors between said posts and contact plates.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. DOUGLAS. Vitnesses T. J. FULLER, J. K. Brianna.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Iatentr, Washington, I C. 

